Black Looks

• Quilombo Country

  Posted: August 31, 2008, 11:42 pm by Sokari

  For those of you living in New York you may wish to catch this film…. Quilombo Country,” a documentary film shot in digital video, provides a portrait of rural communities in Brazil that were either founded by runaway slaves or begun from abandoned plantations. This type of community is known as a quilombo, from an Angolan [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Quilombo Country", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/quilombo_country.html" });

• On being transgender

  Posted: August 31, 2008, 9:50 pm by Mia Nikasimo

  My name is Mia Nikasimo. As a volunteer for Changing Attitudes at the Lambeth Conference I found myself in an opportune position to reflect from a translesbian (i.e. a transsexual woman who identifies as a lesbian not to be confused with above or beyond “lesbians,” or a transgender man) standpoint on the Anglican Communion and [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "On being transgender", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/on_being_transgender.html" });

• Race at work: remembering Katrina three years on

  Posted: August 29, 2008, 11:56 pm by Sokari

  As headlines focus on conventions and running mates, the third anniversary of Katrina offers an opportunity to examine the results of disastrous federal, state and local policy on the people of New Orleans. Several organizations have released powerful reports in the past week, examining the current state of the city; while grassroots activists have plans [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Race at work: remembering Katrina three years on", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/race_at_work_remembering_katrina_three_years_on.html" });

• Chevron on trial

  Posted: August 29, 2008, 11:19 pm by Sokari

  Multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta have time and time again colluded with the Nigerian government in police and military action against local communities including women and children. In Etche Ogoni Egi and Ijaw, Shell Elf and Chevron have all paid for and employed the services of the para [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Chevron on trial", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/chevron_on_trial.html" });

• Our waste is your waste and your waste is ours

  Posted: August 29, 2008, 12:36 pm by Sokari

  The discussion on Climate Change has tended to focus on the impacts for the West. But this report on the sinking coastal regions of West Africa is a wakeup call for the continent. Swathes of West Africa’s coastline extending from the orange dunes in Mauritania to the dense tropical forests in Cameroon will be [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Our waste is your waste and your waste is ours", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/our_waste_is_your_waste_and_your_waste_is_ours.html" });

• The Arrest After The Declaration Of Qomatsi

  Posted: August 29, 2008, 3:57 am by Rethabile

  They drove into the sun! Quite sure that watching a hill for health, and sawing wood against its grain strengthens one, gilds the furniture, they entered the village and parked bakkies near our home, spilling out to disappear inside. We stayed still, waiting for a sign from the sun. I remarked that dad was shaking and asked why, why we stood there in that [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The Arrest After The Declaration Of Qomatsi", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/the_arrest_after_the_declaration_of_qomatsi.html" });

• It was so right

  Posted: August 22, 2008, 5:22 pm by Sokari

  “Yeah, we’re Americans for 10 seconds then we’re just “niggers”! a documentary on the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. Links: Tibet Tags: 1968 Olympics Mexico SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "It was so right", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/it_was_so_right.html" });

• Demolishing Naipaul

  Posted: August 22, 2008, 4:00 pm by Sokari

  St Lucian poet and Noble Prize winner, Derek Walcott pulverizes VS Naipaul at a literary festival in Jamaica - I had so much pleasure reading this since I am unlikely to ever meet Mr Naipaul I was satisfied with the image of him squirming in his seat having his Biswas knocked off his [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Demolishing Naipaul", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/demolishing_naipaul.html" });

• Black August, birthdays, prisons & assassinations

  Posted: August 22, 2008, 3:32 am by Sokari

  Nehanda Abiodun celebrates her 58th birthday in Cuba. Like her friend and fellow activist, Black Panther Assata Shakur, Abiodun has been living in exile in Cuba where she set up a branch of the Black August Hip-Hop project. Black August was set up to honor Black Panthers San Quentin Six - [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Black August, birthdays, prisons & assassinations", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/black_august_birthdays_prisons_assassinations.html" });

• Avoiding the slippery road

  Posted: August 21, 2008, 4:15 am by Sokari

  Ghana is preparing to embark on oil exploration and it looks like they have learned some lessons from their neighbours in Nigeria and Gabon on the need to have a PLAN Ghana has taken a bold initiative towards a systematic establishment of economic, technical and legal framework to manage its oil extraction, whilst maximizing its benefits [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Avoiding the slippery road ", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/avoiding_the_slippery_road_.html" });

• “I am not a foreigner, I am not white”

  Posted: August 19, 2008, 4:49 pm by Sokari

  President Museveni of Uganda continues his assault on the Ugandan LGBTI community by praising the Anglican church in Uganda for “resisting homosexuality” and for this he is happy to give Bishops presents of cars “since walking is outdated”……… “I salute the Archbishop and bishops of Africa for resisting disorientation and a decadent culture, [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "\"I am not a foreigner, I am not white\"", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/i_am_not_a_foreigner_i_am_not_white.html" });

• Black Weblog Awards

  Posted: August 19, 2008, 4:27 pm by Sokari

  The finalists for the 2008 Black Weblog Awards (including this here blog) are up at Electronic Village……….. Here is the list for the 2008 Black Weblog Award Finalists. Click here to cast your vote. The winners in each category will be announced on September 4. Tags: Blogging Black Weblog Awards SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Black Weblog Awards", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/black_weblog_awards.html" });

• Thembi’s AID’s Diary

  Posted: August 16, 2008, 3:27 pm by Sokari

  Thembi Ngubane spent a year recording her daily life and struggle living with AIDS in South Africa. The recordings are organised as “chapters” and start with a discussion with her mother about AIDS. Thembi is also blogging at “Thembi’s AIDS Diary Tour: South Africa” Via DigiActive Tags: Thembi Ngubane South Africa HIV/AIDS Blogging SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Thembi's AID's Diary", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/thembis_aids_diary.html" });

• Ugandan LGBT activists acquitted

  Posted: August 15, 2008, 5:42 pm by Sokari

  The case against three Ugandan LGBTI HIV/AIDSactivists has been dismissed. The three were arrested on 4th June 2008 during the HIV/AIDS Implementers meeting in Kampala. They were objecting to the exclusion of Sexual Minorities from the HIV/AIDS Prevention programmes in the country. After two days and nights of detention in police [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Ugandan LGBT activists acquitted", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/ugandan_lgbt_activists_acquitted.html" });

• Lagos Grids and Swerves

  Posted: August 15, 2008, 3:20 pm by Sokari

  There’s a tune by Midival Punditz, Bhranga Fever, which always reminds me of Lagos, a city of both grids and swerves. It’s loud, fast, uplifting but tiring, contradictory, polarised and expensive! Expensive in Lagos is scary, especially when you consider that the majority of people exist on less than $2 [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Lagos Grids and Swerves", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/lagos_grids_and_swerves.html" });

• Africans in Mexico

  Posted: August 15, 2008, 2:44 pm by Sokari

  Haiti is well known as the sight of the first successful slave revolt which resulted in independence in 1804. But African slaves, brought to Mexico by the Spanish in the late 16C , also have a history of rebellion and at the time Mexico had the largest African population outside the continent. [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Africans in Mexico", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/africans_in_mexico.html" });

• Remembering Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine

  Posted: August 12, 2008, 4:39 pm by Sokari

  Today is the one year anniversary of the disappearance of Haitian human rights activist, Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine. His wife, Michelle has sent this open letter to the Haitian authorities expressing her and her family’s resolve and calling for the truth to be revealed and her shock at calling his mobile and someone answering the phone. Madam/Sir [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Remembering Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/remembering_lovinsky_pierre-antoine.html" });

• Nigeria: progress is nigh

  Posted: August 12, 2008, 4:22 pm by Sokari

  Nigeria’s “high rollers” return home in a rush of “reverse brain drain”. Meanwhile property prices for the elite reach US highs at the expense of bulldozing the poor to make way for $million homes for the new high rollers in business suits. This crew of new patriots are apparently abandoning regular power supplies and [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Nigeria: progress is nigh", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/nigeria_progress_is_nigh.html" });

• Google launches African news

  Posted: August 12, 2008, 3:41 pm by Sokari

  Google launches 9 dedicated African news services including Nigeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe. News.google.com.ng for Nigeria news.google.co.ke for Kenya news.google.com.et for Ethiopia news.google.co.zw for Zimbabwe news.google.com.na for Namibia news.google.com.gh for Ghana news.google.co.ug for Uganda news.google.co.bw for Botswana news.google.co.tz for Tanzania Tags: Africa Google News SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Google launches African news", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/google_launches_african_news.html" });

• Music bits

  Posted: August 10, 2008, 5:05 pm by Sokari

  Every week Kikuyumoja [his blog] sends me at least 7 Del.icio.us links and I am very grateful as mostly they are gems and a few weird things like this exercise routine that would kill me if I dared to attempt it - which makes me wonder what he thinks of me! Here are [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Music bits", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/music_bits.html" });

• links for 2008-08-09 [delicious.com]

  Posted: August 9, 2008, 7:32 pm by Sokari

  France accused in Rwanda genocide (tags: france rwanda genocide) Advocacy Project - Undugu Society of Kenya (tags: streetchildren kenya technology capacitybuilding) monitter : real time, live twitter monitor search engine (tags: twitter socialmedia web2.0) Citizens for Nigeria - "Online Think Tank (tags: Nigeria commentary news) Digital Story Project: Young Kenyans express themselves (tags: Kenya digital blogging) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "links for 2008-08-09 [delicious.com]", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/links_for_2008-08-09_deliciouscom.html" });

• Eight centuries of Black presence in Holland

  Posted: August 9, 2008, 5:10 pm by Sokari

  “Rubens to Dumas - Black is Beautiful” is a collection of paintings, drawings and manuscripts portraying Black people over 8 centuries by Dutch artists Rubens, Rembrandt, Jordaens, Mostaert, Breitner, Jan Sluijters, Karl Appel and Marlene Dumas. Together these works give an idea of the changing role of black people in Dutch art and culture. [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Eight centuries of Black presence in Holland", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/eight_centuries_of_black_presence_in_holland.html" });

• SOPUDEP turning a house of torture into community school in Petion-Ville, Haiti

  Posted: August 8, 2008, 12:48 pm by Sokari

  This time last year I was visiting Haiti and my host was Rea Dol and her family, all members of the Lavalas Movement and she herself co-founder of SOPUDEP school. SOPUDEP which created in 2001, is a private non-profit school that exists through the sheer determination of Rea and her colleagues. [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "SOPUDEP turning a house of torture into community school in Petion-Ville, Haiti", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/sopudep_turning_a_house_of_torture_into_community_school_in_petion-ville_haiti.html" });

• Some youth conscious music

  Posted: August 4, 2008, 10:02 pm by Sokari

  I came across some new music over the weekend from a band called, Soulfège (’sOl-fezh) which goes under the name “Afropolitan Fusion” which I assume explains the mix of high energy AfroJazz, Hip-Hop and Reggae along with the conscious lyrics. They have recently released their second album “TakeBack TheMic” which [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Some youth conscious music", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/some_youth_conscious_music.html" });

• Zimbabwe in the shadow of empire

  Posted: August 4, 2008, 8:05 pm by Sokari

  With the pre and post election crisis in Zimbabwe there is, quite rightly, a focus on the present and future - a Zimbabwe without Mugabe and Zanu-PF. However Zimbabwe’s history is often lost in the present environment of fear, violence and economic catastrophe in the country. In this extensive article “In the Shadow [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Zimbabwe in the shadow of empire", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/zimbabwe_in_the_shadow_of_empire.html" });

• Niger Delta rejects UK government plan to arm Nigeria

  Posted: August 2, 2008, 2:29 pm by Sokari

  Gordon Brown recently offered to help the Nigerian government “fight rebels in the oil-producing Niger Delta“. Niger Deltans and other progressive thinking Nigerians reject any form of military assistance by the British government to Nigeria to be used in the Niger Delta or any part of the country. Please sign the petition [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Niger Delta rejects UK government plan to arm Nigeria", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/niger_delta_rejects_uk_government_plan_to_arm_nigeria.html" });

• Demonic cabals

  Posted: August 1, 2008, 3:16 pm by Sokari

  Following on from my post on Nigeria that never got further than a jumble of thoughts flushing around in my head just when I would be trying to sleep - take a deep breath…. I found a blog via “Nigeria, What’s New” called “Looking for good in Lagos“. It is fascinating to discover new [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Demonic cabals", url: "http://www.blacklooks.org/2008/08/demonic_cabals.html" });

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes